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Sweet as the tender Grafs, and fragrant Flow'rs,
Call'd by the Sun, and rais'd by fruitful Show'rs.
Tho' otherwife for me juft Heav'n ordain,
With Crimes my Houfe, with Blood deform'd my
Reign,

Yet God's unfailing Words my Hopes fecure,
For like himself his Contract's wife and fure:
Tis here I fix, nor ought beyond require, CENI
All my Salvation 'tis, and all my Soul's defire!
Not to thofe Sons of Belial, who difdain f
Jehova's eafie Yoke and gentle Reign;

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The Laws of Earth and Heav'n at once withstand,
And wound like Thorns th unwary Toucher's
Hand.

Armour of Proof, if you approach 'em, wear,
Or keep them at the distance of a Spear!
The Blood they fhed will Heav'n at length require,
Their Doom, the dreadful Lake of never-ending Fire,
bA

2 SAMUEL, Chap. XXIII. from Ver.1. to Ver. 7. de

Ver. 1. Now thefe be the laft words of David: David the fon of Jeffe faid, and the man who was raifed up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the fweet pfalmift of Ifrael, faid,

2. The Spirit of the Lord fpake by me, and his word was in my tongue, &c CLVIII.

Jigs CLVIII.

David's Worthies.

OR fhall thofe Heroes unrecorded pafs,

JOR

Well worthy Marble Piles and Leaves of Brafs,

By David oft in doubtful Battel try'd,
Who ne're for Fear or Danger left his fide:
The Tachmonite-- His eldeft Captain he,
First of the mighty Thirty, and the Three ;
His Spear he rais'd, which never rais'd in vain,
His fingle Force whole Armies fcarce fuftain;
Behold almoft a Thousand round him flain!

Next, and but next, Great Eleazar ftood,
Whofe Sword fo oft had drunk Philiftine Blood:
One of the Three with David at their Head,
Who when from Caphthor's Offspring Ifrael fled,
Stood firm, and all their conqu'ring Heft defi'd,
And bumbled foon their mighty Fishes Pride:
He rofe, he fmote, he foil'd, he lafh'd, he flew,
And foon the bold Pursuers did pursue ;

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Till his ftrong Hand no more his Sword cou'd wield,
He mow'd the bloody Harvest of the Field.
Thus by his Arm the God of Battles fought,

And Great Salvation for his People wrought.

The Heav'ns with Shouts, their Tents with Spoils they fill,

Twas all their Work, for none were left to kill,

Shammah the Third, from Dammim's Fields renoun'd,

With Conquest and with deathlefs Laurels crown'd:
The fore-skinn'd Hoft a general Forage made
Like Locusts they the ripen'd Fields invade;
Fix'd like a Land-mark in the Path he ftands,
Nor one efcapes with Life that reach'd his Hands:

Thefe Three above the reft in Strength and Fame
To David in Adullam's Faftnefs came;

Fierce Sirius rag'd, the Heav'ns were all on Flame.
And Beafts and Men refreshing Streams defire,
To flake their Thirst, and quench their raging Fire,
David himself, tho' long his Pain compress'd,
Gafping and faint, at length the Man confefs'd;
(For Heroes too of mortal Mold are made,
And Nature's Iron-Laws by all obey'd.)
Then thus--- Our common Bleffings we despise,
And only by their Abfence learn to prize:
O for a Draught of Bethlem's cryftal Well!
But 'tis in vain, and I'll my Wifh repel!
This heard the mighty Three, to none they spoke,
But thro' Philiftia's num'rous Army broke,
Who lay encamp'd in Bethlem's Avenue,

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And fill'd the Town-- while one the Water drew, His Fellows like a Wall before him ftood,

And flaughter'd all around, and dy'd the Streams with Blood.

Then

CLVIII.

2 SAMUEL, Chap. XXIII. from Ver. to the End.

320

Ver. 15. David longed, and faid, Oh that one would give me drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

16. And the three mighty men brake through the bost of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17. And he faid, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?

Then from the Pafs their timerous Foe they drive, As yielding Clouds which Boles of Thunder rive; T And to their Genral brought the far-fet Prize : Forbid it Heav'n the pious Chief replies,

That what with hazard of your Lives you gain'd,
Sacred to God, fhou'd be by me profan'd!

Thus with uplifted Hands Feffides faid,
Then on the Ground a pure Libation made.

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Such Deeds can virtuous Love of Praise infpire, When Souldiers fight for Honour, not for Hire, Nor muft Abishai's, or Benaiah's Name, Or, Afahel! thine, be unconfign'd to Fame : Nor fhou'd the rest which facred Books rehearse, But their unwonted Sounds refuse the Laws of Verfe.

CLIX.

David numbers the People. A Peftilence fent, &c.

O0 happy Ifrael now, debauch'd with Ease,
Diffolve in lazy Luxury and Peace:

When Kings offend, their finful Lands endure
Thofe Plagues which their united Crimes procure.

Satan,

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